Strawberry Jam (Without Pectin)

Strawberry jam that’s naturally sweet and super easy to make!

When strawberries are in season, we buy them by the flat. I sometimes wonder how we’re going to finish the entire box, and without fail the bounty is gone within a few short days.

At their seasonal peak, there’s not much you need to do with strawberries other than wash, eat, and repeat. One tradition we love, though, is making homemade strawberry jam.

This year, we made this sweet spread for teacher gifts. A small way to send a big thank you.

I love this recipe because it’s naturally sweet (only a tablespoon of maple syrup) and easy to make (no pectin required). Although this strawberry jam recipe doesn’t keep for as long as a traditional jam recipe, what you gain is speed and simplicity. And if you’re house is like my house, homemade strawberry jam won’t be around long enough anyhow!

Tip: Strawberry jam aficionados recommend making your jam in small batches to maximize flavor. That works particularly well when cooking with kids because you get to the sweet ending faster.

Strawberry Jam

This simple strawberry jam is made with only two ingredients: strawberries and maple syrup. Be sure to start with super sweet berries and then let the jam gently simmer down until it’s a rich, deep red color. When stored in jars, this jam will keep for two weeks in your fridge. You can also freeze it in small batches for enjoying later.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yields 1 cup of jam

Ingredients for Strawberry Jam

1 pound strawberries, hulled and chopped
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions for Strawberry Jam

1. Wash, hull, and chop the strawberries.

2. Add the chopped berries to a medium saucepan. Then add the maple syrup and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the jam is a deep red color.

4. Cool completely then store in clean glass jars. Use a parchment paper sleeve (rolled up parchment paper) to make it easy for your kids to spoon the jam into the jars without making a huge mess.

5. Make a note and give to someone special.

Tip: There’s a lot to love about these beautiful red berries. One cup of strawberries delivers 150% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C. Their deep red color is a tell tale sign that powerful anthocyanins are in the house, the same free-radical fighting compounds found in blueberries.

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Heralded by Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution as “A mom and genius game creator helping kids eat fresh food!”, Jennifer Tyler Lee is an award-winning cookbook author, game creator, and healthy eating advocate. Jennifer has garnered national TV, radio, and print coverage for her family cookbook, The 52 New Foods Challenge, and her nutrition game, Crunch a Color®: The Healthy Eating Game. Jennifer’s work has been spotlighted by Jessica Alba, Michael Pollan, Jamie Oliver, Laurie David, Rachael Ray, US Weekly, The 700 Club, and Oprah.com—among many others. Her fresh approach to cooking together as a family inspired a nationwide series of kids cooking classes at Williams-Sonoma, The 52 New Foods Junior Chef Series, along with an exclusive edition of her book. A former strategy consultant, she lives in the Bay Area with her family.